


The Book Club Meeting

by Storyteller362



Category: Elena of Avalor (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:34:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24482107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storyteller362/pseuds/Storyteller362
Summary: Mateo and Luisa are bonding during book club together. Warning is for a minor reference to another series, please see the author's note.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	The Book Club Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> There are a ton of Jane the Virgin references, so spoilers for that series (including the twist in one of the first few episodes). Now I'm getting into different pairs and testing the waters with this. Maybe I'll do a Naomi and Francisco bonding story next *she says mysteriously.* Enjoy!
> 
> This is also posted on fanfiction.net in the EoA section - chapter 98 in the story titled Back to Back.

Mateo De Alva was walking down to the kitchen as he was whistling. Some empanadas sounded good as he turned and went looking for the sweets. From where he stood, he could just smell the dark liquid bubbling as he saw Luisa.

"Hola Senora Luisa," he said as he saw her. "Any chance those will be done soon?"

"Hola to you Mateo," said Luisa as she grinned at him pushing some already done close to him.

Eager, he took one and dug in. That was heavenly, he thought, before finishing one off and reaching for another. It had been a long day as he just got out of magic practice about a half hour ago. This really helped as he finished his second. It was quiet between the two as Luisa was watching the stove keeping the chocolate from burning as he watched her. It wasn't empanada's but whatever it was looked great so far.

"What are you making?" asked Mateo trying to get a good look.

"Chocolate covered strawberries," she said. "They're all going to my friends later this afternoon. We're getting together at our book club. If you want you can help, they're all going on that tray."

She nodded to a stack of trays to her left as Mateo got up. At least she didn't ask him to bake as he remembered the last time he did that. He thought about where his friends were for the day. Elena was still in lessons with Esteban for a while still yet, like she usually did on Fridays not to do work on the weekend. Naomi was spending time with her parents and Gabe was off doing captain duties.

"I can even help set up," he said.

She nodded as she patted his cheek before reminding him to wash his hands. Both worked quickly as the chocolate hardened, then put on the tray. "I'm sure your mama will be happy to hear that you helped at the meeting. We're discussing The Passion of Juana."

"My mama goes to your book club?" asked Mateo now a bit surprised. He knew his mother went to book club but didn't know it was with Luisa.

"Yes, along with Gabe's mother, Blanca. Countess Delores and Lady Yolanda sometimes with Dona Paloma. Then a few of my friends' children that are now suddenly my age," she said as Mateo was struck dumb. His mother and Gabe's mother have been going to book club with Luisa? It was strange that he and Gabe could be bonding over that little fact.

Then he watched her curiously as she brought up other friends' children. Sometimes he'd forget that Elena and her family were much older than they should be, despite being there when they returned. Luisa looked wistfully into the chocolate as they were finishing up. Something in her eyes flashed as she mentioned those friends that looked like sadness. He looked down at the strawberries as he wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about it or not.

He finished putting the strawberries on the tray as he had it arranged all nice. Luisa nodded as she put the pot in the kitchen sink and passed Mateo two of them for him to have himself. She looked perky again as she loaded up another tray with the empanadas.

"Sooo, book club," he said after a minute.

"You can come me," she said. "It's a great read. We're only like the second book in the series but we can get you caught up to speed. We can sit next to each other and make jokes."

"Um, sure," said Mateo as he shrugged, he didn't have anywhere else to be. He took the tray of the chocolate covered strawberries and they were off.

It was quiet as they made their way down to the drawing room. Honestly, he didn't know why it was called the drawing room but shrugged as they had most of everything set up. A few of the chef's assistants were bringing down some hot snacks. He looked at her as he tried to think about something that they could talk about.

Luisa found the copy of her book as he noticed the cover had a boy and girl in a passionate embrace on it. Why did he agree to attend this meeting? 

"So, what are your friends like? Benita and Carmen, I mean," asked Mateo as he smiled at her avoiding looking at the cover. "I don't think I've ever heard you say much about them." He winced as that was rather outright as he scolded himself.

Luisa just smiled as she got a dreamlike look on her face. "I had a couple of friends growing up. Carmen and Benita were my best friends. I remember them trying so hard to surprise me, but it never worked. They married and kids of their own that I've gotten to know. They weren't as outgoing as me, but we had lots of fun. Carmen was the best seamstress and made our wedding dresses. Benita was so funny, she lived on a Rancho, and she knew horses like the back of her hand."

Luisa seemed to be happy to be talking about her friends. Carmen and Benita, hmm, he thought wondering what happened to them but thought it rude to ask. It was weird to know that they were dead, but she was still alive. It was really kind of tragic he thought before shaking that thought. Someday he'd have to ask Elena how she felt about Avalor now or even Francisco. They must have seen a lot growing up.

"Luisa!" called Countess Delores as she went over and hugged her. She hugged back but made a face that made Mateo giggle some.

"We have ourselves a new member," she said as Luisa introduced him. Then the rest of the ladies started to file in. First was Dona Paloma that showed up. Then followed by two women he didn't know talking with Blanca. Then finally his mother strolled in through the door. All of them had books with the same people in the passionate embrace as he flushed seeing his mother with this book. Why hadn't he seen this book in his house somewhere?

Luisa went around and introduced him to the two women. Florita was the daughter of Carmen and worked as a shoemaker. Soledad was the daughter of Benita and worked as a florist. They seemed nice as his mother reached over to him.

"If anything feels uncomfortable you know you can…" started Rafa as Luisa stepped over to them as everyone started to get situated in a circle.

"Rafa, let him enjoy himself," said Luisa. "You can sit near both of us."

Mateo found himself between his mother and Luisa as Florita passed a spare book to him. Avoiding the cover, he opened the first page as he started to read before listening. The women around him started to catch him up as he listened intently. The main plot interest him vaguely but it was the subplot that was awesome. Someone had was already killed as he got into this conversation going on around him.

"Juana should have known what she was getting into with her relationship with Martin," said Blanca. "That doesn't excuse Rodrigo's past though."

"But Rodrigo changed when he was sick," said Countess Delores. "That's what makes him more ideal."

"Can we just talk about Renaldo's murder though? He was impaled by an ice sculpture," said Luisa as Mateo's jaw dropped. "That's pretty gritty and we still don't know who did it. I have a feeling that Paulina had something to do with it."

"But she was cheating on Rodrigo with him," protested Dona Paloma. "Paulina loved both of them. I like how manipulative she was though…"

Quickly Mateo found himself speed reading and he didn't even know that he could do that. This was getting interesting as he found himself getting interested in the story. He was getting spoilers for the first two books around him as he read the pages while enjoying the different twists. Even Juana's pregnancy plot line piqued his interest as it tied to Martin's story.

"What's this about Juana's dad?" asked Mateo now as he got to that part. "So, he's just now coming back into her life. What happened before?"

"Now that is a whole other can of worms," said Florita with a dramatic wave of her hand. "There are so many plot lines that need to be told. Zandra never told him, but something was off when he met her again when Juana was growing up. I don't know how these are going to get solved in only ten books."

Ten books? Mateo felt his heart soar, so he could know what happened to all these characters and this story in the future. Luisa was looking over his shoulder as she nudged him to take note of a certain part. He laughed at a line the grandmother character said as he made his own notes in his head. He had to read the second book to get caught up. The time seemed to fly by as he could see the food go quickly.

"Alright ladies that's it," said Luisa as they all closed their books as Mateo frowned some. This was fun as he was able to spend time with both Luisa and his mother. Luisa even showed him how to sneak extra snacks from the table. "Next weeks meeting is at Rafa's house. This meeting is dismissed."

Around him the maids started to clean up and Luisa was right next to him with Soledad on the other side of her. "Soooo, Mateo," started Soledad. "Do you want to come to next months meeting?"

He looked at his mother as she was talking with Blanca, then to Luisa as she was grinning. There was no way he could say no now, he had to know why Renaldo was killed and talk about that. Grinning Mateo only nodded. "Of course."

She nodded happily as Luisa turned to him.

"We are going to have so much fun together," said Luisa with a wink.


End file.
